Medicus

A Novel of the Roman Empire

By: Ruth Downie

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Gaius Petrius Ruso is a divorced and down-on-his-luck army doctor who has made the rash decision to seek his fortune in an inclement outpost of the Roman Empire, namely Britannia. His arrival in Deva (more commonly known today as Chester, England) does little to improve his mood, and after a 36-hour shift at the army hospital, he succumbs to a moment of weakness and rescues an injured slave girl, Tilla, from the hands of her abusive owner.

Now he has a new problem: a slave who won't talk and can't cook, and drags trouble in her wake. Before he knows it, Ruso is caught in the middle of an investigation into the deaths of prostitutes working out of the local bar.

A few years earlier, after he rescued Emperor Trajan from an earthquake in Antioch, Ruso seemed headed for glory: now he's living among heathens in a vermin-infested bachelor pad and must summon all his forensic knowledge to find a killer who may be after him next.

Who are the true barbarians, the conquered or the conquerors? It's up to Ruso (certainly the most likeable sleuth to come out of the Roman Empire) to discover the truth. With a gift for comic timing and historic detail, Ruth Downie has conjured an ancient world as raucous and real as our own.

©2007 Ruth Downie (P)2007 Tantor Media Inc.

Critic reviews

"Downie's auspicious debut sparkles with beguiling characters and a vividly imagined evocation of a hazy frontier." (Publishers Weekly)
"Fans of Alexander McCall Smith will delight in this series debut set in Roman-occupied Britain and featuring wry army doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso." (Booklist)

Medicus

Given the setting (Roman Empire Era) I didn't expect to like it. Was surprised to throughly enjoy the book. Good character development and enough surprises to keep one interested.

Decent book, so-so narration

As someone who enjoys historical fiction and the themes tackled here, I expected to like this book. And in fact, the story was quite good. A bit dry and mundane at times, I wished for more medical situations and details, but it's a fine debut for Mrs. Downie. If only the narrator did a better job -- I kept falling asleep! Actually, I ended up borrowing the hardcover from the local library to finish it over the weekend :)

Very Enthralling

I found this book exceeded my expectations. The writing was descriptive and engrossing. The narration was good, but I did have to get used to some of the character choices. That being said, there was strong continuity. It's been one of the most entertaining books I've listened to on Audiable.

I greatly enjoyed the entire series.

Would you consider the audio edition of Medicus to be better than the print version?

?...who reads books anymore?

What did you like best about this story?

My first impression was a lack of detail. When I say detail I mean Gary Jennings and Patrick O'Brian detail. But it's ok. Too much detail would hide the intricate plots and character development.

What does Simon Vance bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

When I see the name Simon Vance as narrator I know I'm in for a good story.

Any additional comments?

I went through these too fast. I hope another is on its way.

Nice but Anachronistic

This review and rating may seem to be contradictory at points but bear with me. Downie has written a very pleasant and fast moving story of murder set in the Roman Empire. Simon Vance does his usual sterling job of narration, and I came to care about the characters (the Roman military doctor and the female slave he rescues). However, the book seems riddled with anachronisms (characters talking about things like economy of scale, the language seems thoroughly modern and quite British which even in a novel set in Roman Britain seems a little odd, and the military and civil bureaucracy sound a little too modern) and there is of course, the predictability of the relationships. All this sounds like I am panning the book. I am not. What rescues this book for me is that the author has a good sense of fun and a sprightly sense of pace. I never felt like the book lagged and as I noted, I came to root for the doctor and his slave who it becomes very obvious is going to be his romantic interest. Even knowing this, hard not to like this book. Not a bad way to spend a few days commute!

great historical fiction

What did you love best about Medicus?

Creative license on an unknown period that rings true

What other book might you compare Medicus to and why?

Colleen McCullough's series about Rome, the Grass Crown comes to mind

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I could listen to Simon Vance all day, and have been known to do so!

Who was the most memorable character of Medicus and why?

Ruso, Valen, Tilla are all recognizable characters. With a family full of doctors, I know those guys well!

Any additional comments?

Well researched, carefully plotted entertainment

interesting from a historical novel point of view

Would you listen to Medicus again? Why?

No - it wasn't bad but didn't need a second listen

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

No - could kind of see the plots coming, especially the end

Any additional comments?

Not a bad book, not a great book. The descriptions of life in the time period was the most interesting part

Good performance

This is not a story about the Roman Empire but Romans in old Britannia. Know that and you will enjoy the novel.

Intriguing story

Some Roman history, local god worship, no Christians mentioned, lawless leaders & human trafficking. All woven into an interesting story.

Terrific

If you could sum up Medicus in three words, what would they be?

Humorous. Good story. Great relationship between Ruso and Tilla. Ms. Downie's description of Roman Britain in the time of Hadrian is historically accurate and well wrought.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Medicus?

At the very end, when he pours a libation over the grave of Sofia.

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?

Ruso

If you could rename Medicus, what would you call it?

I wouldn't rename it.

Any additional comments?

The book is well-written with excellent characterizations and plot constructs. The developing relationship between Ruso and Tilla is touching.